On 22nd September 1915, Will Rossiter, the Chicago music publisher, copyrights ORIGINAL JELLY-ROLL BLUES. The registration number is Class E 372536 and the Catalogue of Copyright Entries lists this as for piano. Unfortunately the copyright deposit itself is missing, so we cant be sure whether this is the manuscript Morton produced when Henri Klickmann was unable to notate the piece, or the printed piano music. [MJR 150]

The illustrated cover of the published version is shown above as THE JELLY ROLL BLUES. In addition, Rossiter went on to publish a version of this for band and orchestra.

Mortons composition was recorded under both names, Original Jelly Roll Blues and Jelly Roll Blues. A terrific composition. The first time I heard it was by the Yerba Buena Jazz Band. Here is a listof the orchestral recordings of the tune in the 1920s and 1930s.

Recordings as Jelly Roll Blues.

1. The first orchestral recording (either title) was, as you tell us, by the Original Memphis Five, Sep 22, 1923.